Sign Codes & National Brand Conversions

Overview

Since the advent of zoning, communities have attempted to regulate signage on health, safety, and welfare grounds. Hilton Head Island is adjacent to a national wildlife refuge with pristine salt marshes and protected wildlife. It’s a great vacation destination but sign codes are very strict and finding businesses is problematic. Las Vegas, on the other hand, is like one big sign.

Key Challenge

Your company has a national store footprint with hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of locations. You’re re-branding and demand consistency across a vast geographic area. How do you do that when municipalities want to control sign size, overall height, luminosity, positioning/setbacks, and material specifications?

Proposed Solution

There are two important steps to maintaining brand consistency while complying with sign codes that are all over the board.

Create a standard “Family of Signs” (FOS) that includes major sign types such as pylons, monuments, wall signs, channel letters, directionals, door/window vinyl, and interior signs. The FOS provides detailed graphics, color palette, brand restrictions, and standard sizes.

Be flexible. Your signage partner must conduct research for each store to determine signage restrictions and recommend options such as face and cabinet replacements and not just new signs. Maximizing square footage and height while maintaining the integrity of your brand will also reduce your costs.

Lessons Learned

The Chinese proverb, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” applies to national sign conversions. Work with your signage partner to create a game plan. Strict signs codes and a consistent national brand can coexist.